What is the meaning of the bands name On My Side?

Bert: It’s a play on the word omnicide, the end of all life as a result of human action. It’s also inspired by an old hardcore band named Side By Side.

D: My partner frequently likes to say “who’s side is it anyways?” And so I often think of it as meaning we’re on the side of folks who are underrepresented or under supported.

Is there an overarching story or theme with this new album?

Bert: Every song is rooted in wanting to make the place where we were born a more progressive, inclusive and caring place. As leftist Albertans, the temptation to move is constant. I can’t blame anyone for leaving. However, there’s tremendous value in staying here and trying to effect change.

D: There are a few songs that touch on some darker Albertan history or events and the burden of understanding that history, living with it, and trying to make this province better for everyone. “Amputations”, “Albertatross”, “Prairie Dirt”, and “Shadow of the Mis” all touch on those themes.

We also wanted it to have a sort of “then and now” feel to it, because the first half of the album we recorded with our good friend Q drumming and the other half we recorded mostly just the two of us (with some help from friends on group vocals).

How does this album differ from your previous work?

Bert: Thematically and lyrically, it doesn’t. Musically, some songs are longer. We experimented with new song structures and harmonies.

D: I think some of the lyrics have more personal and vulnerable touches than some of our previous songs. In the song “Distractions”, Bert sings “here I sit, smile, and nod, the whole time feeling like a fucking fraud”, and that really hits hard especially if you have ever felt like you are not doing enough in terms of activism or community engagement. In “White Make Rage” we sing “you’re so quiet about politics, why do I feel this hollowness?”, which I’ve always found to be a very poignant sentiment when it comes to engaging with certain scenes or communities that are purposefully kept surface level for everyone’s comfort.

How had being an artist in Edmonton influenced your musical direction?

Bert: On My Side started in 2019 because of bands like Anatomy Cats and Feminal Fluids. Local bands that were unapologetically political. Lately, it’s been inspiring to see more explicitly leftist punk/hardcore bands emerge. Meeting those people and sharing shows with them has been wonderful.

D: We’ve both been a part of the music scene in Edmonton since we were teenagers, and we were both extremely lucky to meet experienced folks in the scene who inspired us and helped guide us to where we are. I’ve been especially inspired by I Am Machi, Feminal Fluids, Wares, and Mercy Funk. All of those folks are not only incredible musicians, but also kind and outstanding community members.

What are the biggest barriers or challenges new artists in Alberta face?

Bert: We recently played a show with a band from Yellowknife, so we can’t complain, but isolation is huge. There aren’t many major cities close by, so it costs more and takes more time to travel elsewhere for shows.

D: I think even just getting folks out to shows can be a big challenge nowadays! There are a lot of bands in Alberta and a lot of them are great. In Edmonton on any given weekend, there are likely several great shows for attendees to choose from. In smaller towns, getting the word out to a lot of people can be hard. We’ve found oftentimes that if you aren’t fully tapped into where shows get promoted, it’s easy for it to get missed or for people to not hear about it.

You have a strong activist theme with your music, what role do you feel artists have in the current political landscape?

Bert: Bands need to be portals and conduits. Music’s important, but it’s important because it connects people to new information, perspectives and experiences. If all goes well, that inspires people to change their thinking and behaviour.

D: Music can also help people feel less alone. The political landscape is very divisive currently and that can feel isolating. Also everybody has those songs or bands that they feel just open a window to their soul because they’ve experienced what the artist is telling them about. Sometimes young people will come up to me after our shows and tell me that they loved hearing us talk about issues they care about, or even that they appreciated seeing someone who looks and thinks like them on stage.

How do you balance live performances with studio time?

Bert: We don’t. That’s why this album took four years to make! We’ve always prioritized playing live over recording. Playing live, sharing our songs in-person, and meeting new people is my favourite part of being in a band, so I’ve naturally gravitated to that more.

D: I agree with Bert! Recording is more of a necessity to ensure people can find and listen to the music, we have merchandise to sell/give to folks etc but being able to meet either show goers or other folks in bands is really the best part. I also love playing live because it’s one of my favorite things to do with Bert, who is one of my very best friends.

What piece of trivia would you like your fans to know about On My Side?

Bert: We first spoke about starting this band when we ran into each other in a grocery store checkout line in 2015. The original plan was for us to be a youth crew hardcore band. I was gonna play guitar and D was gonna play bass.

D: Coffee is extremely important to us, so everywhere we go we are always on the lookout for cool little coffee shops. We have found ourselves in some wild ones! We once got coffee in a shop that was full of chainsaw sculptures and also a motorcycle.